pendleton



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet l.

J. H. PENDLETON.

CABLE RAILWAY.

No. 479,920. tented Aug. 2, 1892.

Grip

m: uonms PETERS co., mow-mum, msnmcrou, u. :4

5 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. H. PENDLETON.

CABLE RAILWAY.

Patented Aug. 2, 1892.

...... w. I, J" U x nu: NORRIS PEYERS cm, Pnmoumo msumm-ou, 0. c4

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. H. PENDLETON. CABLE RAILWAY.

No. 479,920. Patented Aug. 2, 1892.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

J.H.PENDLETON.

CABLE RAILWAY.

Patented Aug. 2, 1892 um/whoa as anew daaum'fipm mi NORRIS PETERS 00.,mom-uma, wAsmmmm, n, c.

NrTEn STATES PATENT JOHN H. PENDLETON, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THERAPID TRANSIT CABLE COMPANY, OF NEHV YORK, N. Y.

CABLE RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,920, dated August2, 1892.

Application filed June 13, 1892. Serial No. 436,482. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. PENDLETON, of Brooklyn, New York, haveinvented new and useful Apparatus for Cable Railways, of which thefollowing is a description, reference being taken to the accompanyingdrawings which form part of this specification My invention relatesparticularly to a double gripper and actuating mechanism therefor foruse in cable railways that employ two cables, and its purpose is toenable me to pick up either cable at will, to drop eitheror both cableswhen desired, to operate the grip per, for these purposes, and forgripping the cable from either platform of the car and secure positiveoperation, together with great simplification of parts. Besides this myinvention contemplates an automatic safety device for dropping thecables,a system for crossing cable-lines, and simple means for derivingthe greatest pressure upon the jaws of the grip at the moment ofgripping, while giving as much motion as may be needed to the movablejaw during the greater part of its travel.

To these and certain incidental ends my invention is embodied in theapparatus and its several parts constructed, arranged, combined, andoperated substantially in the manner hereinafter described, illustrated,and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 a sideelevation,'of my gripper associated with the raising and lowering andwith the actuating mechanisms so far as they appear upon the supportingframe. Figs. 3 and at are corresponding views of a more improved form ofmy invention. Figs. 5 and 6 are views showing the hand-levers with theirattachments for operating the platform-plate through the slots of whichthe controlling hand-levers project.

Figs. 8 and 9 are views of my gripping-lever and its attachments inpositions differing from that shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a sideelevation,

Fig. 11 an end elevation, and Fig. 12aplan,of

my gripper. Fig. 13 shows my system of controlling cable-crossings. Fig.14. is a detail of the raising and lowering lever attachments asarranged for the system shown in Fig. 13,and Fig. 15 is a modificationof the system for crossings which obviates the need of the special formof device shown in Fig. 14:.

In the figures like letters of reference indicate like parts.

In an application (Case A) filed by me on the 10th day of March, 1892,serially numbered 424,37 5 and patented herewith, I have set forth incwtenso and claimed, broadly, a complete set of apparatus for carryingout many of the objects and purposes hereinbefore named. In this presentapplication I desire to secure to myself certain details of constructionof apparatus similar to that set forth in the said foregoingspecification and certain modifica tions, improvements, and additions inand to such construction. I will not, therefore, repeat in full thedescription of parts not directly material to the claims of this presentapplication, but will, so far as may be, limit myself to a descriptionof the differencesand to the features which are more directly thesubject of these claims.

In another application (Case D) filed by me jointly with Andrew Bryson,of New York, on the 28th day of May, 1892, serially numbered 434,754 andpatented herewith, I set forth another form of apparatus in whichcertain alternative features replace some of those herein described andclaimed. In many respects, however, the apparatus described in thatapplication and in this application are so similar as not to be thesubject of the claims of both cases.

The difference in the gripper proper between this present invention andthat set forth in the former of the abovenamed cases (Case A) are veryslight. In that case I described and illustrated in full simple means bywhich, by opening to a certain extent the jaws and by lowering andraising the gripper, I was enabled to pick up either cable at will or todrop out the one that was in the gripper. To effect this, I employedsliding shoes provided with deflecting faces for shielding the lowerjaws of the gripper, and thereby preventing the entrance of the cablewithin such jaws and for dropping the cables out of such jaws whenalready within them. These shoes were so secured by lost-motionconnections to both sets of jaws that when the jaws were closed theshoes on both sides of the gripper lay inactive below the faces of thegripper-dies. By making the opening between the jaws on one sidesomewhat greater than on the other the jaws could be opened to receivethe cable on one side only. hen somewhat more open, both cables couldpass between the jaws as the gripper was lowered between the cables; butthe shoes on the side having the wider jaw-opening were so far raisedthat as the gripper rose the cable on that side came against thedeflecting shielding faces of the shoes and slipped out of the jaws andfree of the gripper. \Vhen the jaws were still further opened, the shoesupon both sides were brought into operation, permitting both cables tofall out. By these means either cable could be picked up at will, theopening of the jaws determining which should remain in the jaws. Toeffect these operations, I employed mechanism for opening and closingthe jaws to the extent required and mechanism for raising and loweringthe gripper without disturbing the adjustment of the jaws. Iinoreoverset forth means by which when the gripper was raised above its normalposition the jaws were antomatically caused to fly open and drop thecable. This present invention contemplates these features with certainchanges, additions, and improvements. As the two cases named are nowpublic records of public information, I will refer to them for furtherexplanation of the general purposes and operation of the broad inventioncommon to both cases and restrict myself herein as much as possibleconsistent with clearness to those features which distinguishes thiscase from the former cases.

In addition to the mechanisms above named I have provided my gripperapparatus with an automatic release for the raising and loweringmechanism. The gripper is retained in its normal or raised position by acatchhook which engages with a cam or a suitable part of the raising andlowering mechanism and holds the gripper. hen the gripper is raised,however, either automatically or by hand, to about an inch above thenormal, a detaching-block is thrown in position to interfere with thecatch and to allow the gripper to be freely lowered.

It is principally in the gripping mechanism and its controllinghand-lever that the distinguishin g features of the present inventionoccur. In the former application (Case A) the lost motion of the shoeswas obtained by a pin-and-slot connection between the gripper-jaws andthe sliding deflecting-shoes and by stops on the lower jaws to limit thedown* ward travel of the shoes. I now provide each deflecting-shoe withguideways or channels at either side and of limited length, within whichchannels run guides moving with the upper and the lower jaws,respectively. By these means the travel is restricted relatively to eachjaw, yet great freedom is allowed between such limits. The slidingconnections with the gripping hand-lever is now replaced by a compoundlever, which enables the operator to exert great power on the jaws ofthe gripper when the jaws are closed. When the jaws are to be opened,the compound lever may be reduced to a simple lever by simultaneouslylocking the hand-lever of the compound lever to its lower link or leverand releasing a hook that forms the fulcrum of the hand-lever. \Vhen solocked, the levers act as a simple lever to which is connected theoperating-rod from the gripper-toggles. When the jaws are broughttogether by this lever, the said hook, which I term my fulcrum'hook andwhich is pivotally secured to the hand-lever of the compound levers, isbrought into position to catch a suitable stud or staple upon theplatform or dash-board of the car. A finger-lever upon the hand-leverenablestheoperatortounlockthecompounded levers, and by simultaneouslycatching the fulcrum-hook upon its stud or staple to obtain a secondaryfulcrum. The hand-lever is pivoted to the lower link of the lever belowthis secondary fulcrum, and, therefore, by the reverse motion of thehand-lever the lower lever or link may be farther advanced, drawing uponthe toggles with great power. A rack upon this lower link engaged by apawl upon the hand-lever completes the apparatus. This pawl may becontrolled by thesame finger-lever that operates the fulcrum-hook andlocks and unlocks the levers.

The compound lever, instead of being secured directly to theoperating-rod of the toggles, is made with a slightly tapering tongue onthe lower link, which fits into a socket to which the operating-rod ispivoted. The socket forms the permanent fulcrum for the compou nd leverand is pivotally supported in a suitable frame beneath the platform ofthe car, there being one such socket and frame at each platform. Whenthe car is to be run in the opposite direction, the levers may betransferred to the socket at the other end of the car. Preferably theoperating-rods do not connect directly with the toggles, but with anequalizer, which converts the otherwise direct pull into equal andopposing forces, between which the gripper is balanced, allowing it toplay transversely and relieving it from unnecessary pressure against thebutting-heads. This equalizer is described in a prior patent granted tome September J, 1890, No. 436,105. With such an equalizer it is readilyapparent that when the hand-lever is applied at one end of the car theoperatingrod at the other platform. should be fixed.

This I accomplish by providing a catch-hook upon the lever-socket, whichengages with the stationary frame. When, however, the lever is insertedin the socket, a shoulder on the lever strikes the catch-hook and disengages it, leaving it free to be turned by the hand-lever. The raisingand lowering lever also fits at each platform sockets similar to thegripping-lever sockets. To them are directly pivoted the operating-rodsfor raising and lowering the gripper, the sockets at each end turningwith the rise and fall of the gripper. I provide inclined faces orcam-surfaces upon these sockets or upon the rods so formed that when thegripper is raised above its normal position by the automatic rails(which rails will be presently described) these inclines run under thecatch-hooks of the gripping-lever sockets and disconnect the hooks fromthe frames. Of course when the gripping-lever is in one of its socketsthe co'rre-. sponding catch-hook is already raised and disconnected bythe shoulder described, and therefore the other socket only will bereleased, freeing the jaws and allowing them to fly open and drop thecable from the deflecting-shoes. The rise of the gripper, to elfect theautomatic release of the catch-hook, and consequent dropping of thecables, is preferably about three inches above the nor: mal.

For the crossings of intersecting cable roads I have improved andmodified the system described in Patent N 0. 436,104, granted to meSeptember 9, 1890. The cables of oneline are slightly depressed to passunder the others, and elevating and depressing rails are arranged tocause the automatic release of the cable as the car approaches thecrossing cables, to support the gripper clear of the cables, to thendepress the gripper to pick up the cable once more, and finally to raisethe gripper to its normal position, where it may be retained by thecatch-hook and cam on the raising and lowering mechanism. In one form Idepress the gripper to release the cables. To accomplish this, Iprovidea second cam-face on the raising and lowering leversocket, which whenthe lever is enough depressed disengages the catch-hook of thegripping-socket and allow the cable to free itself from the gripper-jawsas the gripper again rises. I form a pocket or slight lower.- ing in thebottom of the trench at the necessary point to allow this depressing ofthe gripper. i

I have now described the. general features of the present inventionwithout specific reference to the embodiments of them shown in theaccompanying drawings. There are, however, certain parts of considerableimportance which I have omitted from this preceding general description,because they are better understood in connection with the' separatemechanisms and movements to which they belong. I From this generaldescription I shall now turn to the several mechanisms shown in thedrawings, which, combined together, constitute the apparatus as a whole,and shall describe each separately in turn.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I show my gripper apparatus without the equalizer.Thelevers upon the end of the car do not appear in these figures, andthe operating-rods which connect with them are shown broken off. Theframe B of the apparatus is secured to the axles of the car and isprovided with butting-heads b for the gripper-head to press against indrawing the car. Upon this frame are mounted a pair of transverserock-shafts O. From each shaft a double crank extends toward the centerof the frame B, its crank-pin c forminga supporting-shaft arranged tolie in a horizontal channel in the head of the gripper, as shown, andthereby support it. Upon the ends of the shafts O are cranks d, to whichare pinned the operating-rods d, by which the cranks are turned and thesupportingshafts c raised and lowered, carrying with them the suspendedgripper. To insure the equal and simultaneous rise and fall of thesupporting-shafts, I connect them together by a pair of connecting-linkscl, pivoted to the short cranks upon the shafts O at proper angles tocause equal and opposite rotation of the two shafts 0. Upon one or bothshafts O I place Baldwin or other torsion springs in-.

closed in suitable casings 61'. These springs are arranged to beadjusted or set up from time to time, as may be needed to eitherpartially or wholly counterbalance the weight of the gripper. The rodsd, with their cranks d, are placed upon the outside of the frame inorder that the hand-levers for operating them, which are preferably onthe right-hand sides of the car-platforms, may be more convenientlyconnectedto them. The mechanism for opening and closing the jaws of thegripper, which primarily consists of the toggles and lifting-link E,described in my former application, (Case A,) is connected by a pair oflinks c e and an intermediate lever c" to a'crank fupon the shaft F,mounted on the frame B. To another crank f on the shaft F is pinned theoperating-rod g, connecting with the gripping-lever under one platformof the car. To connect with the operating-rod for the other end of thecar, I provide a slotted crank f upon the shaft F and connect theoperating-rod to one arm of a bell-crank g, the other arm of which isprovided with a crank-pin traveling in the slot in the crankf. Of courseother means may be employed for connecting this second operating-rodwith the shaft F. A torsion-spring and easing, similar to those abovedescribed, may, if desired, be placed upon the shaft F to counterbalancewholly or in part the weight of the upper jaws of'the gripper.

In Figs. 3 and f of the drawings I have shown the opening and closingmechanism provided with an equalizer by which the gripping force appliedto the connecting-link 6', instead of drawing the gripper .against'thebutting-head b, is counterbalanced by an equal and opposite forceapplied to the gripper in line with the connecting-link c. To the head.of the gripper opposite to the intermediate lever c is pivotedaconnecting-link h, similar to and in line with the link 6'. The links6' and h are pivoted to the upper end of a pair of rocking levers h, tothe centers of which the operating-rods are pinned and to the lower endsof which is secured a connecting-frame H, divided, as shown, to passaround the gripper mechanism without interference therewith. It will nowbe seen that when the power is applied to the rods 9, or when power isapplied to one of the rods and the other is held stationary, the rockinglevers 7b are drawn apart, exerting an equal and opposite pull upon therods 0' and h, thereby actuating the toggles of the gripper, whileleaving the gripper free to move in any direction. The operating-rodsextend through supporting-plates II upon the frame 13, which serve tosuspend the equalizer when tension is released and act as guides for therods when put in compression to open the jaws of the gripper. As thegripper must be free to rise and fall, to twist in passing the curves,

. their respective sockets.

. stud or boltj on the frame.

. into the socket, as in Fig. 6 and 6.

and to travel transversely upon the supporting shafts c, I place swivelsh between the rocking levers and the frame II and upon the links 6 71and rods 9. I also, in order to take up wear and to readily adjust theequalizer, place a screw-thread and jam-nut, as shown, upon one of theconnecting-links e or h.

In Fig. 5 are shown the continuations and attachments of theoperating-rods d and g, the operating-levers being withdrawn from Thesocket G for the gripping-lever is shown fixed in position in the frameJ, to which it is fulcrumed by means of the catch-hook K, which engagesthe This catchl1ook is pivoted to the socket G, as more clearly seen inFigs. 6, 8, and 9. In these latter fig ures it is shown unhooked fromthe frame, leaving the rod 9, which is pivoted to the socket, free to beoperated by the hand-lever L. \Vh en the catch-hook K engages the frameJ, the end of the operating-rod g becomes fixed in the frame, allowingthe equalizer and the toggles to be operated from the other end of thecar. The operating-rod (Z' is pivoted to a socket D, fulcrumed in theframe J coaxially with the socket G. The hand-lever D for turning thesocket may be inserted directly In the figures the raising and loweringlever D is in position corresponding to the normal position of thegripper. The socket D is provided with a face is, inclined to its traveland so arranged that normally it is clear of the catchhook K; but whenthe gripper is raised above its normal position, and the socket therebythrust toward the right, as seen in Fig. 5, the inclined face will beforced under a stud or lug upon the hook K, disengaging it from theframe, and thereby releasing the gripping-lever socket G and allowingtherod g to be drawn back and the jaws of the gripper opened to throwout the cable.

Figs. 6, G, S, and 9 show the compound lever for opening and closing andfor gripping the jaws of the gripper. The lower lever or link M of thiscompound lever is provided with a tongue which may be fitted into thesocket G. The hand-lever L is pivotedto the link M at a point just abovethe car-platform. The link is provided with shoulder m, as shown, whichstrikes against the projection 70" of the hook K when the lever isinserted and raises the hook from the frame J, leaving the socket freeto turn with the lever. The hand-lever is provided with a pawl Z and adetent Z, formed by a projection from the said pawl. On the link M is atoothed rack for the pawl and a notch for the detent. The pawl ispivoted to the lever L in position to engage with the rack, and therebyretain the lever L in position relatively to the link M. The pawl may bewithdrawn from the rack by the usual finger-lever L and connectingrod.As the hand-lever L is thrown toward the dash-board of the car thedetent strikes against the link M, forming a stop for the movement. Inthis position the detent is opposite the notch,as in Fig. 8, and bydepress ing the finger-lever L may be thrown into it, as shown in Fig.9, locking the hand-lover to the link M and reducing the compound leversto a simple lever by which the socket G may be turned to open and closethe jaws of the gripper. Pivoted to the hand-lever L, a few inches abovethe pivot of the link M, is my fulcrumhook N. lVhen the hand-lever L isin the position shown in Figs. Sand 0, the tip of the pawl extends underthe projecting arm m of the hook. Upon the platform or dash-board of thecar I place a stud or staple a or other catch with which thefulcrum-hook may engage when the pawl is not raised. If, however, thepawl be raised to draw the detent into its notch, the tip of the pawlengages the arm 07?. and. raises and holds the hook out of engagementwith the catch, leaving the locked levers free to turn together. hen thepawl is depressed and the levers thereby unlocked, the fulcrumhookengages the catch an d forms asecondary fulcrum for the hand-lever M.The operation of these levers is as follows: WVhen the link M has beeninserted in its socket G and the catch-hook K thereby disengaged fromthe frame J the levers may be brought to the position shown in Fig. 9.After this the detent may be released and the fulcrum-hooksimultaneously dropped onto its stud or staple 'n'. The lever L may thenbe drawn away from the dash-board to grip the cable, turning upon thepivot of the fulcrum-hook N asafulcrum and forcing the link M toward thedash-board, thereby drawing upon the rod (Z and exert inggreatly-increased power upon the jaws of the gripper. The pawl engageswith its rack and retains the hand-lever at any desired p0 sition,holding the jaws gripped until released by the finger-lever L. Thisoperation presupposes that the catch-hook K at the other end of the caris caught upon its frame J, for

if that hook has been released it is of course impossible to grip thecable until the hook again engages with the frame. The hook may,however, be readily caught by merely opening the jaws to their fullextent, for the upper jaws by their weight thrust upon theoperating-rod, forcing the hook toward its engaging-stud and allowing itto catch thereon. To open thejaws, the hand-lever is thrown toward thedash-board, the fulcrum-hook released, and the detent thrown into thenotch, reducing the system toasimplelever bywhieh the operating-rod maybe forced back, raising the upper jaws.

In Fig. 7 is shown the platform-plate containing the slots through whichthe gripping and the raising and lowering levers project from thesockets beneath. The gripping-lever slot contains notches upon one sideinto which the lever may be pressed to hold it in place against theweight of the upperjaw and in order to indicate to the operator the twopositions for picking up the right or the left handcable.Theotherslotiswithout notches.

Figs. 10 and 11 show the jaws and jawshanks of my gripper with mysliding deflecting-shoes O, mounted to slide upon the shankplates P ofthe lower jaws. These shoes consist of the shoes proper or toe-pieces Oand the sliding plates 0, to which the toe-pieces are screwed. Thisconstruction enables me readily to renew the toe-pieces when they becomeworn. The plates 0' contain channels 0 0', as shown, for guide lugs orfingers 0' upon the upper jaws R of the gripper and guides 1) upon theshank-plates P. These channels or guideways are of such length that whenthe gripper is closed the shoes will have traveled downward until theguides 19 reach the upper limit of their guideways 0. In this positionthe deflecting-surfaces of the toes of the shoes lie about three-eighthsof an inch below the dies in the lower jaw, as clearly seen in Fig. 11.This is to allow for the wearing away of the dies. Ifthe dies of bothjaws are worn away three-eighths of an inch, the upper jaws must descendthree-quarters of an inch farther to grip the cable, and I thereforeextend the guideways 0 three-quarters of an inch lower than wouldotherwise be necessary, giving them, as shown in Fig. 10, a clearance ofthree-quarters of an inch below the lugs r of the upper jaw. Theguideways o extend above the guide-lugs r one-half an inch and one inchand five-eighths, respectively, upon the two sides of the gripper, inorder that the shoes upon one side may begin to rise when the upper jawhas risen one-half an inch and in order that the other shoes may riseone inch and one-eighth after and below the first. "When the jaws havebeen opened out threequarters of an inch, or, rather, when the upper jawhas been raised three-quarters of an inch, there will be aninch-and-one-half space between the tips of the jaws upon the side ofthe gripper having the deflecting-shoes constructed to be first raised.Those shoes will, of course, be raised one-quarter of an inch, which isinsufficient to cause them to interfere with the entrance of the cablesbetween the jaws when the gripper is pressed down between the cables.Theupper jaw upon the other side of the gripper is, however, providedwith a lip s, projecting downward and making the tip of the jaw an inchand an eighth 1onger than that of the other upper jaw. When, therefore,the upper jaw is so raised threequarters of an inch, the opening betweenthe jaws on this side is but one-half an inch, and the cable, whichshould be, to correspond with the dimensions given, one inch andthreeeighths in diameter, cannot enter these jaws of the gripper. hen,on the other hand, the upper jaw has been raised an inch andthree-quarters, the cables can be admitted between the jaws on bothsides, but the higher deflecting-shoes, have traveled up one inch and aquarter, just suliicient to completely shield the lower jaw and toallowthe cable to slide outward free of the gripper as the gripper israised. In this adjustment it will be seen that the lower shoes havetraveled upward somewhat less than a quarter of an inch, and the cableon that side will therefore be retained in the jaws.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I am able to pick up eithercable at will by merely adjusting the opening of the jaws. order to dropboth cables, the jaws are opened about an inch and a quarter farther, orthree inches in all, raising the lower deflectingshoes until theycompletely shield the corresponding jaw and merely carrying somewhatfarther upward the shoes upon the other side. Both cables are then freeto slide from the deflecting-shoes back onto the supportingpulleys. Inspeaking of both cables in this manner it must not be understood thatboth cables can ever simultaneously be gripped by the gripper, for onlywhen the gripper is depressed below the normal line of the cables canthe cables both run temporarily between the jaws of the gripper, one orboth of the deflecting-shoes being necessarily raised for such acondition, causing one or both cables to fall out the gripperis raised.

The upper jaws of the gripper are secured to the jaw-shanks P by screwsor bolts, as clearlyshown in Fig. 10. Upon these shanks, and preferablyintegral with the jaws, are a pair of laterally-projecting lugs or earsU, arranged to meet the uppersurfaces'of inclined rails U, arranged inthe trench as shown. WVhen the gripper thus meets these rails,'itislifted by means of the ears U, raising the gripper as a whole if thejaws are gripped, or, if not, merely raising the upper jaws. In thelattercase the cables are immediately dropped by the rise of thedeflecting-shoes. In the former case the rise of the lower jaw, togetherwith the upper jaw, acting through the raisin g and lowering mechanism,releases, in the manner heretofore described, one of the catchhooks K.Upon the release of the hook the jaws are unlocked and the lower jaw byits own weight and thatof the cable drops, thereby opening the gripperand permitting the cable to fall out.

The heads and the frames of my gripper, by which it is suspended fromthe supportingshafts c, possess several novel features .which give itlightness, strength, and ready adjustability. The plan view is shown inFig. 12, the elevation in Fig. 2, in which latter view the side rails bof the supporting-frame B and some of the parts of the gripper apparatusare broken away in order to clearly show the construction. To the headsof the shank P aresecured bybolts the shank-heads or headblocks V,containing the supporting-chan nels for the shafts c, as alreadyexplained. To these head-blocks are bolted or pinned a pair oftriangular or A frames V, near the apexes of which is secured by asliding connection the vertically-traveling cross-head, which forms thefulcrum for the upperlink of the grippingtoggles E. The slidingcross-head is secured by a set-screw or other adjustable connection withthe spreader-nnt V, pivoted in the apex of the frames V. To the upperends of the shank-plates P are bolted a pair of plates, which, asclearly shown in Fig. 2, form a crosshead,traveling vertically on theshank-plates 1, with the rise and fall of the upper jaws of the gripper.To this cross-head the lower link Eof the toggle and my supplementallifting-link E (described in Case A) are attached by pin-and-slotconnections. The elbow of the toggles is connected by the link 6 withthe intermediate lever e, which in turn connects by the connecting-linkc with the crank f, Fig. 2, or with one lever of the equalizer, Fig. 4.\Vhen the equalizer is used, its connecting-link 7L is pinned to anupright arm 71/ upon the head-block V, bringing the rods 6 it intoalignment in order that the equal ized forces may act in the same line.

Of the gripper mechanism proper there only remains unexplained the catchand automatic release by which I may retain the gripper in its raisedposition or release it by slightly elevating the gripper. In Figs. 2 and4 this device is shown upon the right-hand raising and lowering shaft 0in elevation, and in Figs. 1 and 3 is seen the plan. The rock-shaft Ccarries a cam WV, not unlike the tumbler of a combination-lock. When thegripper is in its normal position, a hook or catch XV engages the radialface formed at the end of the caursurface and retains the gripper inposition; but when the gripper is depressed the catch V rests upon thecylindrical face of the cam and allows the shaft to turn freely. Uponthe cam W is pivotally secured a detaching-block or loose piece to,which is free to turn through a small angle between stops formed by aflattened staple or guide-iron, as shown. The detachingblock to isprovided with a pair of oppositelyinclined faces to" at its free end,which enable it to pass beneath a lug or projection 10' upon the hook\V, raising the hook thereby. As the gripper rises from its depressed toits normal position one of these faces is brought into loose contactwith the lug w,but allows the hook to fall and catch the end of thecamface, and thereby hold the gripper in place. This is the position theblock to occupies in the figures. \Vhen, however, the gripper is raisedone inch or more, either by hand or by the automatic elevating-rails, asdescribed, the detaching-block w, resting as described, against one ofits stops, is forced beneath the lug it" till its other inclined face 10engages the lug. As the gripper returns to its normal position thedetacher 10 turns and rests against its other stop, and thereby its rearincline, passing under the lug as the cam approaches the position forlocking with the hook, 'aises the hook and allows the gripper to befreely lowered. On the rising movement the hook catches once more, asbefore described. It will now be seen that to lower the gripper by handit is merely necessary to raise the gripper an inch in order to unlockit and then to lower. On again raising the catch will lock, and therebyretain the gripper. Such are the mechanisms by which I am enabled tocarry out the nnmerons requirements of a cable car for a successfuldouble-cable road, with the various necessary relations and mutualfunctions of the several mechanisms by which the compli' catedoperations may be effected. I will now describe a few of theseoperations, leaving many of the incidental advantages and uses in whichthe mechanisms may be employed unmentioned.

In an application filed by me jointly with Cornelius Tiers, of New Yorkcity, on the 21st day of June, 1892, and serially numbered 437,512, wehave set forth a hydraulic jack for storing our grippers in the cars andfor replacing them in operative position when it is again desired to usethem. Let us suppose, therefore, that the gripper hasjust been securedin operative position in the car, that the car is upon the main track,and that the operating-levers are upon the wrong or rear end of the car.The upper jaws of the gripper will rest lightly upon the lower jaws. Thefirst thing to be done is to remove the lovers from the rear to thefront platform of the car. As the compound lever is inserted in itssocket, the shoulder m upon its lower link M raises and retains thecatch-hook K. The compound lever is locked and placed in the notch inthe platform, which corresponds to the cable itis desired to grip. Bydoing this the catch-hook K at the other end of the car is made toengage the frame J, for the upper jaw tending to close thrusts upon thefree operating-rod at that end of the car. The gripperis slightly raisedto unlock the cam V and catch WV,

depressed between the cables, and then elevated to its normal position,the catch again looking with the cam, and thereby retaining it. Thehand-lever L is then thrown toward the platform and the detent Zreleased, allowing the fulcrum-hook N to fall upon its pin or stud n.The cable will now be within the jaws ready for gripping. The carbrakesbeing then released, the hand-lever L may be drawn toward the car-bodyand the aws gripped upon the cable. The pawl and rack L retain the jawsgrippeduntil released by the finger-lever L. The cable may be dropped atany time by merely locking the compound lever, and by then forcing backthe rod g to open the jaws to their full ex tent. lVhen the grippermeetsan elevatingrail, the lug U, raising the gripper aboutthree inches,forces the incline in on the raisingsocket D under the catch-hook K andreleases the jaws of the gripper, letting the lowerjaw fall to open thejaws. Should thejaw fail to descend, the cable in passing down upon thelarge pulleys at the ends of sections will draw open the lower jaw andrelease itself.

Turning now to Figs. 13, 14, and 15 I will describe the manner in whichby my invention I am enabled to run my gripper across intersecting cableroads without the use of horse or other auxiliary power. Fig. 13 showscrossing double-cable railways, the cables of the one seen in sideelevation passing somewhat beneath the others. The under or, as I shallterm it, the cross-town line is provided with a pocket or slightdeepening of the trench on the side of approach to the other or uptownline. This is to enable the gripper to descend and follow the dip of thecables to within a few feet of the crossing cables. Preferably thepockets occur in the cross-town trench on both sides of the uptown line,making it possible without renewing the trench to reverse the directionof running the cars. This deepening of the trench amounts to about oneinch, that being found sufficient. The railis made of a channel-iron,the upper flange of which extends above the ears U of the gripper andserves to depress the gripper, while the lower flange acts the part ofan elevating-rail, as before described. As the car approaches the uptowncables the rail first raises the gripper one inch, as at or in Fig. 13,thereby unlatching the lowering mechanism. The rail then depresses thegripper ten inches, as atoc, or seven below normal, in order to permitit to follow the dipping of the cable close to the uptown line beforereleasing the cable. When so depressed, the lowering lever-sockets D aredrawn so far toward the center of the car that an incline, similar inaction to the one It" already described, is drawn under the catch-hookK, releasing it, and thereby unlocking the jaws of the gripper. Fromthis point or of lowest depression the rail rises, carrying the gripperupward to clear the cables of the other line.

It will be seen that the lugs U, being on the upper jaw, will raise theupper jaw first and the cable Within, the gripper drawing downward willrelease itself by opening the lower jaw and slipping from thedeflecting-faces of the gripper-shoes. Above the crossing cables theears or lugs U are raised by the rails three inches above normal, as at:r. \Vhen the crossing has been passed, the rail at once dips down tosix inches below normal, as at 00', to automatically pick up the cables,so that it is only necessary for the operator to put his gripping-leverin the desired notch. to pick up the cable that is wanted. From thispoint 00' the gripper is raised above normal at 00 enough to lock thecam WV with its catch-hook NV, and then allowed to pass free of thechannel-rails. It is therefore not possible for the operator bycarelessness to allow the gripper to remain depressed and perhaps strikeagainst the next succeeding supporting-pulleys. Should the operator failto properly place the gripping-levers in order to pick up the cable thatis wanted, the car will merely run on until its impetus has been checkedby friction and grade. In Fig. 14 is shown the slight change needed uponthe car to adapt it for the use just set forth. D, as before, is thesocket of the raising and lowering lever. As before, also, it isprovided with an inclined face It" to unlatch the catch-hook K when thegripper is raised. In addition, however, the socket is provided with asecond inclined face k, constructed to raise the catch-hook when thegripper is depressed seven inches, and thereby carry out the processalready described. This change is not, however, essential, and in Fig.15 I show a rail arranged to cooperate with a car not so provided withthe second incline on its sockets D. In this simpler form of myinvention the deflecting-rail merely elevates the gripper about threeinches and releases the cable. After passing the intersecting cable-linethe channel-rail depresses and raises, as shown before in Fig. 14. Withthis form of rail the gripper being raised to drop the cable mustrelease at some distance from the crossing, and therefore, thoughsomewhat simpler, I very much prefer the other construction, whichpermits the car to run within a few feet of the crossing beforereleasing. On a downgrade the simpler form of the invention is verysatisfactory in all respects, because the downgrade preserves the speedof the car and because no deepening of the trench is necessary.

To insure the proper dipping of the cables beneath the uptown line andto prevent the ITO car from raising the cable as it approaches thecrossing, I provide one or more rollers Y, Fig. 13, extending across andabove the crosstown cables and preventing the rise of the lower cablesinto contact with the others. In a prior patent to me, No. 436,104, ofSeptember 9, 1890, I have indicated a somewhat similar method ofcrossing cable-lines, and this present invention is the improving andperfecting of the general scheme therein indicated.

I have now described my complete invention. I have made no mention of amultitude of small modifications, which may be made in the details andforms of the parts; but I desire to secure to myself by the followingclaims alllmoditications, due to mere mechanical requirements andskill,which may be made without departure from the principles of myinvention. In certain claims I term the lower jaws the stationary jaws,although from the foregoing it is clear that they are practically onlystationary when the gripper is stationary. I therefore use this term inits relative sense, as, indeed, I do several others. This will beapparent from the context of the claims in which they occur.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent the following:

1. In combination, in a gripper apparatus for cable railways, a frametherefor, a pair of cranks mounted upon the said frame and provided withsupporting-shafts parallel with their axes, a gripper provided withchannels for the said shafts, connections between the said cranks forcausing them to turn equally and together, and one or moretorsion-springs inclosed in suitable casings upon the axes of the saidcranks, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination, in a gripper apparatus for cable railways, a frametherefor, a pair of cranks c, mounted upon the said frame and providedwith supporting-shafts 0', parallel to their axes, a gripper providedwith channels for the said shafts, connections between the said cranksfor causing them to turn equally and together, and one or more levers Dand connecting rods (Z for operating the said cranks to raise and lowerthe gripper, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In combination, in a gripper apparatus for cable railways, a frametherefor, a pair of cranks c, mounted upon the said frame, a gripperindependently suspended from each of the said cranks, and one or moreconnections between the said cranks for causing them to turn equally andtogether, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

at. In combination, in a gripper apparatus for cable railways, a frametherefor, a pair of cranks 0, independently mounted upon the said frame,a gripper suspended from the said cranks, and one or more springs uponthe axes of the said cranks, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

5. In combination, in a gripper apparatus for cable railways, a frametherefor, a pair of cranks c, mounted upon the said frame and providedwith supporting-shafts 0, parallel to their axes, a gripper providedwith channels for the said shafts, connections between the said cranksfor causing them to turn equally and together, one or moreoperating-rods for the said cranks, a cam 'W, turning with the saidcranks, a catch IV for engaging the said cam when the gripper is in itsnormal position, and a detaching device for the said catch arranged tobe adjusted by the rise of the gripper above normal to interfere withthe said catch, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

6. In combination with a raising and lowering mechanism for acable-gripper, a shaft 0, moving therewith and provided with a cam IV, ahook or catch W, pivoted to the frame of the mechanism and arranged toengage the said cam when the gripper is in its normal position, adetaching-block w, pivoted to the said cam, stops to restrict its motionupon the said cam, and a stud or lug 20 upon the said catch,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In combination with a raising and lowering mechanism for acable-gripper, a catch for engaging the moving parts of the saidmechanism and retaining the gripper in its raised position, adetaching-block therefor carried upon the said moving parts, and stopsfor the said detaching-block, between which it may be free to travel,the said block being so formed that when the gripper has been raisedabove a certain position the said detachingblock on the lowering of thegripper may interfere with said catch and prevent it from engaging thesaid moving parts, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In combination with apair of upper and lower jaws of a cable-gripperand a shank P for the lower jaw, a cable-deflecting shoe 0, constructedto slide upon the said shank and provided with guideways o 0 oflimitedlength, a guide upon the said shank for one of the saidguideways, and a guide moving with the upper jaw and traveling inanother of the said guideways, whereby the said shoes maybe allowed alimited travel relatively to each of the said jaws, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

9. A cable-deflecting shoe 0 for the purposes set forth, provided withguideways o o, terminating in stops for limiting travel within suchguideways, substantially as set forth.

10. A cable-deflecting shoe 0 for the purposes set forth, eonsisting ofa sliding plate provided with guidcways o o, and a toe/piece detachablysecured to the said sliding plate.

11. In combination with a pair of upper and lower jaws of acable-gripper apparatus and a shank P for the lower jaw, acabledelleeting shoe 0, constructed to slide upon the said shank andprovided with guideways o o of limited length, a guide upon the saidshank for one of the said guideways, and a guide moving with the upperjaw and traveling in another of the said guideways, whereby the saidshoe may be allowed alimited travel relatively to each of the said jaws,one or more lugs or ears U upon the upper jaw of the said gripper, andone or more rails U, arranged to pass under the said lugs or ears, andthereby automatically raise the said upper jaw, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

12. In combination with the stationary jaw or jaws and jaw-shanks of acable apparatus and for the purposes set forth, a pair of headblocks V,secured to the said shanks and provided with supporting-channels, and apair of side frames V, secured to the said heads, substantially as setforth.

13. In combination, in a cable-gripper apparatus, an equalizer for thegripping mechanism thereof, consisting of a pair of levers h, a pair ofoperating-rods g, extending from the centers of the said levers to theplatforms of the car, a frame H, to which is pivotally secured one endof each said levers, and connecting-rods e h, connecting the remainingends of the said levers, respectively, with the gripper and grippermechanism, sockets G for a hand-lever and to which the saidoperatingrods 9 are connected, and one or more catchhooks K for lockingthe said sockets in position, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

14:. In combination, for the purposes described, a hand-lever socket G,a frame J, to which the said socket is fulcrumed, a catchhook K, pivotedto the said socket and arranged to engage with the said frame, and anoperating-rod g, pivotally secured to the said socket, substantially asset forth.

15. In combination, for the purposes described, a lever-socket G, aframe J, to which the said socket is fulcrumed, a catch-hook K, pivotedto the said socket and arranged to engage with the said frame, and alever fitting the said socket, provided with a shoulder constructed todisengage the said catch-hook from the said frame when the said lever isplaced in the said socket, substantially as set forth.

16. In combination with the operating-rods d for the raising andlowering mechanism and the operating-rod g of the gripping mechanism, ofa cable-gripper apparatus, a handlever socket G, to which is pivoted thesaid rod g, a frame J, to which the said socket is fulcrumed, acatch-hook for locking the said socket in position, and a hand-leversocket D, to which is pivoted the said rod d, arranged to interfere withthe said catch-hook in certain positions, and thereby disconnect it,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

17. In combination with the operating-rods d for the raising andlowering mechanism and the operating-rods g of the gripping mechanism,of a cable-gripper apparatus, a leversocket G, to which is pivoted thesaid rod g, a catch-hook K, pivoted to the said socket, and a secondhand-lever socket D, to which the said rod d is pivoted, provided withone or more inclined faces formed to run under and disconnect the saidcatch-hook, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

18. A compound lever for the purposes described, consisting of link M,provided with a rack, a hand-lever L, pivoted to thesaid link at thecenter of curvature of the said rack, a pawl pivoted upon the saidhand-lever and provided with a detent formed to fit in a notch upon thesaid link, and afulcrum-hook N, pivoted to the said han d-lever andengaging with the said pawl when the said detent is in the said notch,whereby the said fulcrum-hook may be disconnected and the said lever andsaid link operated as a simple lever, substantially as set forth.

19. A compound lever for the purposes described, consisting of a link M,a hand-lever L, pivoted to the said link M, a detent pivoted on the saidlever and arranged to lock the link and said lever, a fulcrum-hook N,pivoted to the said lever, and means for controlling the said detent andthe said fulcrumhook, substantially as set forth.

20. A compound lever for the purposes described, consisting of ahand-lever L and a link or lower lever M and means for independentlyfulcruming the said hand lever, substantially as set forth.

21. In combination with a pair of crossing cables, a cable-trench forthe lower of said cables, provided with a deepened portion extending asufficient distance from the crossing to permitthe descent of thegripper there- -into to follow the dip of the cable as it approaches thecrossing, substantially as set forth.

22. In combination with a pair of crossing cables, a cable-trench forthe lower of said cables, provided with a deepened portion to permit thedescent of the gripper thereinto, and one or more depressing-railssecured within the said trench, substantially as set forth.

23. In combination with a pair of crossing cables, a gripper for thelower of said cables, one or more lugs or ears U on the said gripper,and a rail adjacent to the crossing cables, constructed to co-operatewith the said lugs or ears to depress the said gripper as it approachesthe crossing and then to elevate the said gripper to clear the upper ofthe said cables, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

24. The method of crossing the gripper-car of a cable railway over theoverlying cables of a crossing cable railway, which consists of in firstdepressing the gripper to follow the descent of the cable under thecrossing, releasing the cable therefrom, and then raising the gripper topass clear of the said overlying cable, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

25. The method of crossing the gripper-car of a cable railway over theoverlying cable of ICC a crossing cable railway, which consists in au-In testimony whereof I have hereto set my tomatically depressing thegripper and releashand this 12th day of June, 1892. ing the cable as thegripper approaches the crossing and then automatically elevating theJOHN PENDLE 5 said gripper to pass clear of the overlying ca- Witnesses:

ble, substantially as and for the purposes set ALDORF I-I. PHILLIPS,forth.

HAROLD D. BENNER.

